20 0rders.
This is the best beef pho recipe! Reach out to me if you need help.
This is one of my most researched and important recipes that I have been hesitant to post. I still have a catering company that serves a Pho bar and ours is the best!
This is the best beef pho recipe and it works. I have tried at least 10 recipes on the internet and none of them are good. They all taste thin and it doesn’t matter how much bone you use.
Quick Story! You don’t have to use MSG but……
There is a huge Vietnamese population in Northern Virginia and a ton of Pho shops. I am friendly with a lady that sells almost all the ingredients to make pho to all of the shops. She has a store but she is also a wholesaler and one tough lady that works 100 hours a week.
I had been working on a pho recipe for years and it was never great, good but not great until one day I added some msg (I have a great msg alternative below). It was a game changer.
One day I was talking to the lady and I said you can’t make pho without msg. She laughed and said you can’t. So all the shops that said no msg she told me they bought msg.
I have a great substitute below that the shops don’t use because it is a little expensive but you can also use msg. MSG is vegetable protein and it adds umami flavor like my solution below.
Let’s get going
You need
-about 6 pounds of beef bones. I used an assorted marrow bones and neck bones (the neck bones have some nice meat for later).
-3 lbs of braising meat, brisket, shank, bottom round, or mock tender
-3 lbs of eye of round
Bring a gallon of water to a boil. Blanch the bones for 5 minutes. Blanch the braising meat and eye of round 1 minute. This will get some of the impurities out and help make a clearer broth Let it cool and rinse everything off. Throw out blanching water and clean the pot.
You can leave the eye of round raw but for catering I blanch it for 2 reasons
1. it is easier to slice on my slicer
2. the meat doesn’t bleed when presented on a buffet
Next…
- 1 lb of ginger sliced in half lengthwise (yes this is a lot but I like the flavor and ginger is so good for you)
- 3 yellow onions halved
- 2 carrots sliced lengthwise
Char the cut side of the onions and ginger. I do this over a gas burner but it can also be done under the broiler. Don’t char the carrots. Scrape of any burnt onion skin off. Lightly smash the ginger so it will release more flavor in the broth.
Start Your Broth
Put your clean bones, braising meat, carrots, charred ginger, charred onions, and 2 tbs of salt in a pot and add 3.25 (13 quarts) gallons of water. Don’t add the eye of round. Not yet!
Simmer for 3 or 4 hours until the braising meat is tender (be careful and just keep a slow bubble so your broth will be clear and light). Add the eye of round and simmer it for two minutes. This is optional but it makes it easier to slice and it will still be very rare.
Strain the broth and let the bones cool then pull any meat off the bones. Chill the braising meat and eye of round so they are easy to slice.
The spices are next.
Big tip– don’t add the spices to early or the bones and fat will absorb all the flavor!!!!
The Spice Mix
Add the following spices to the strained broth and simmer for another hour.
- 12 star anise
- 6 cinnamon sticks or 12-15 grams Use good cinnamon. It should be thin like bark not the hard sticks. Vietnamese if you can find it.
- 15 whole clove
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds (so important)
- 4 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 black cardamom
- 4 green cardamom
- 10 black pepper (optional)
- 3-4 tbsp rock palm sugar or regular sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (optional) I liked it better without it but it adds some umami but also some bitterness
- 4-5 tbsp vegetarian seasoning or 2 tablespoons MSG this is very important, read below, you can’t make it without one or the other. It gives the umami and mouthfeel you need!
One or the Other
This is the most important tip!!! You cannot make Pho without MSG or vegetarian seasoning. Don’t listen to anybody that says they can!!!
Buy the seasoning HERE
Finish the broth
Wrap the spices in a cheese cloth or you can just strain them out later. Simmer on low for another hour with the spices, fish sauce and sugar.
Very Important!!!!!!!
When your broth is just about done adjust the salt. Make your broth a little salty because you are going to add a lot of noodles and condiments. Don’t be afraid, it is very important to be a little salty. It may take a couple tries to get it right.
Also If you feel the broth isn’t flavorful enough add another round of spices. Spices are always different and many times they are old but just add more until you get what you like. This broth takes practice and is not easy but once you master it you will be so satisfied.
Serving the Pho! You Probably Know what to serve it with or you wouldn’t be here! This is about making a broth!!
- noodles
- the sliced meats (you can also buy Vietnamese meatballs or tendon)
- bean sprouts
- Thai basil
- sliced onion
- sliced jalapeño (my favorite)
- cilantro
- culantro
- scallion
- lime juice (optional but not recommended)
- sriracha (not recommended)
- hoisin (not recommended
Pho is severed with lime, sriracha, and hoisin but the broth it to light and refined and I think they ruin it.
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Best Beef Pho Recipe
This Pho Recipe works!!!
Step 1 (you should really read the post, This is a complicated broth and once you master it you will be in a club thatb very few people are in. Email or comment and I will help you with any problems)
- 6 lbs beef bones some with meat (I used marrow, femur, and neck. The neck will give some good meat for the soup)
- 3 lbs eye of round
- 3 lbs brisket, bottom round, whole shank muscle, or mock tender (braising meat that can be sliced)
- 1 lbs ginger halved lengthwise
- 3 medium yellow onions halved
- 2 carrot halved lengthwise
step 2
- 3.25 gallons water (don't worry some of the water will boil off.)
- 1 tbsp salt
- all of the ingredient above except eye of round
Step 3
- 12 star anise
- 6 cinnamon sticks or 12-15 grams (Use good cinnamon. It should be thin like bark not the hard sticks. Vietnamese if you can find it.)
- 15 whole clove
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 4 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 black cardamom
- 4 green cardamom
- 10 black pepper (optional)
- 3-4 tbsp rock palm sugar or regular sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (optional) (I liked it better without it but it adds some umami but also some bitterness)
- 4-5 tbsp vegetarian seasoning or 2 tablespoons MSG (this is very important, read above, can't make it without one or the other. It give the umami and mouthfeel you need!)
- salt and vegetable seasoning to adjust. (the broth should be a little salty because you are adding a lot of noodles and other goodies.)
Step 1
Bring a gallon of water to a boil. Blanche the bones for 5 minutes. Blanch the braising meat and eye of round* 1 minute. This will get some of the impurities out and help make a clearer broth Let it cool and rinse everything off. Throw out blanching water and clean the pot.
Char the cut side of the onions and ginger. I do this over a gas burner but it can also be done under the broiler. Don't char the carrot. Scape of any burnt onion skin and rinse of loose char on the ginger. Lightly smash the ginger so it opens up a little.
Step 2
Put bones, braising meat, salt, and vegetables in the water and bring to a very low simmer. Just little bubbles. Simmer for 3-4 hours until the braising meat can easily be penetrated with a skewer or knife. Add eye of round for about 3 minutes. Remove the bones and veggies and let them cool. You can also strain the broth but you can also wait until the end to strain.
Wrap the spices in a cheese cloth or you can just strain them out later. Simmer on low for another hour with the spices, fish sauce and sugar.
When your broth is just about done adjust the salt. Make your broth a little salty because you are going to add a lot of noodles and condiments. Don't be afraid it is very important to be a little salty. It may take a couple tries to get it right.
Also If you feel the broth isn't flavorful enough add another round of spices. Spices are always different and many times they are old but just add more until you get what you like. This broth takes practice and is not easy but once you master it you will be so satisfied.
- you can leave the eye of round raw but for catering I blanche it for 2 reasons 1. it is easier to slice on my slicer 2. the meat doesn’t bleed when presented o
- This is the most important tip!!! You cannot make Pho without msg or vegetarian seasoning. Don’t listen to anybody that says they can!!!